"Having a dressing checked"

I had a nephrostomy tube reinserted due to needing to be changed. This was the beginning of my story.

I was not given a local anaesthetic. This is a procedure where the tube is inserted into the kidney, luckily I don’t have any pain sensation in the area.

The radiologist did not talk to me to tell me what they were doing and when finished, left the room with me on the table not knowing what was going on. The ORA came to me and told me not to move so I didn’t fall off and that the dr said to stay there. After a couple of minutes, someone brought the bed in and I was allowed to move, not sure where the nurses were as I was laying sideways and did not know what was going on in my back.

Previously, the dr treated me like a human being, explained what they were doing and was really good, not with this one in my opinion. When the dressing was put on, it had been put in a position that makes it really hard to sit or lay down. Even worse, the doctor did not come to see me afterwards to tell me anything.

Following on from this, I needed to call the community nurse a few days later to come and check the dressing as it was hot, itchy and sore. The nurse had a look and suggested I go to ED to have it checked properly. When I presented at ED I was taken in by a nurse practitioner who had a look and said we don’t do dressings, there are too many germs in the hospital. It looks dry, don’t think it's wet so did not touch it. On my way out said, have fun laying around, so disrespectful in my opinion.

So I went home, rang community nursing to come back and change the dressing. When the nurse took it off it was yellow, had been bleeding and was very wet which I believe is why it was itchy.

Thank gosh for community nursing, where would I be without them - serious infection I think. Anyway, the nurse cleaned it and redressed it, took photos of what it looks like and it is now great. I am a terminal patient who sometimes will need help from ED but hates the thought of going there because I feel they don’t take my condition seriously and I feel like I am a hypochondriac which I am not.

As far as Wagga Health Service goes, I feel the only assistance I am given is from community nursing. If it wasn’t for them, I believe my dressing would not get changed as it appears the hospital couldn't do it. On 2 occasions it has been suggested I do it myself from the nursing staff. In my opinion, I am not a nurse, I live alone, the wound is on my back, so I can't even see it. What happened to the duty of care, it seems there is none.

I know I will receive repercussions from this, as a few years ago when my spouse was in hospital I had reason to complain, and I believe they received repercussions, and I was taken into a room where I felt intimidated by 2 doctors, a few nurses and NUM, questioned as to what I thought the problem was. The next day my spouse was removed from the ward they were put in another ward, then to Calvary. Within 24 hours, my spouse was also a terminal patient but by this happening they had a better outcome as they were put in palliative care where I felt they were looked after.

Due to the repercussions that I know I will receive, I will now only go to Wagga Wagga Base when I really have to. I will just stay home and work through my issues the best way I can. Based on my experiences, I do not trust the Wagga Base Hospital. Over the years I have had nothing but grief since I was diagnosed. What is it, don’t you like terminal patients?